3. Southeast Asia Pack
Binturong, Clouded Leopard, Javan/Sumatran Rhino, Javan Leopard
Really? A Southeast Asia/ Indonesia pack without any primates. One of my most highly anticipated species in the game is a gibbon or Siamang. Props to Frontier if they get the brachiation right, though based on the orangutan I will be sadly disappointed on that front. Two felid species I feel is overkill here. Let's keep the Clouded leopard, since the Javan leopard is nearly as rare in captivity as it is in the wild. And hopefully we will see either the African leopard or different Asian subspecies (e.g. Persian, Arabian, Amur) at some point. I also feel that another Asian rhino species is unnecessary, especially since both these species are so critically endangered that they will never be seen in captivity again. Soon they won't be seen anywhere :-(
7. Sahara/Arabia Desert Pack
Black Mamba does not live in the Sahara or Middle East. Fortunately there are plenty of endemic reptiles to choose from. The Egyptian cobra may be the most famous (Cleopatra anyone?). But the Red-spitting cobra is more colorful. The Horned vipers are also visually interesting, and have unique locomotion ("sidewinder") not that we actually get to see exhibit animals move... And if Frontier can deign to include more than one exhibit animal there many beautiful colorful variants of the Uromastyx, and I personally think we need a desert scorpion species (e.g. deathstalker).
8. Amazon Rainforest Pack
Hmm, you really have something against primates. While all good choices, but you can't have an Amazon pack without MONKEYS! (For some reason the one New World monkey they included isn't even from the Amazon). We need Howler monkeys, spiders monkey, squirrel monkeys, titi, owl monkey, tamarins, marmosets, etc. In the interest of picking a large recognizable species I would recommend the Black Howler monkey, Bald Uakari, or White-faced Saki.
Also brown-throated sloths do not survive in captivity. How about we replace it with the Linnaeus' two-toed sloth. Of course no Amazon pack would be complete without some Macaws ...
10. Madagascar
I really hope they make this pack. Which Sifaka species do you want? I have such a hard time deciding between Coquerel's sifaka, Crowned sifaka, or Diademed sifaka. Since Diademed sifaka does not exist in captivity, I think I'll choose the Coquerel's.
There are so many incredible endemic species from Madagascar, it seems like a waste to include the Nile crocodile here. If reptiles you seek there are four different critically endangered larg(ish) tortoise species endemic to Madagascar: Radiated tortoise, Spider tortoise, Ploughshare tortoise, Flat-backed tortoise. Due to rampant animal trafficking despite their critical status they are fairly well-represented in captivity. The first two species even have viable populations in the pet trade. Other non-lemur choices could include the Aye-aye, mongoose (e.g. Ring-tailed mongoose, Giant-striped mongoose), tenrec, Malagasy Giant Rat.
Again I hope that Frontier considers giving us more than one Exhibit animal. The Madagascar hissing cockroach is one obvious choice, but what is Madagascar without chameleons? Although they do not thrive in noisy captive settings the Panther chameleon is so beautiful and iconic I think it is worthy of inclusion. It should be popular with crowds, but maybe its husbandry needs make it difficult to maintain in your zoo. Other visually stunning endemic species include Tomato frog, electric-blue (Malagasy giant) walking stick, Mantella poison frogs, Satanic leaf-tailed gecko, Day geckos (e.g. Yellow-headed, Golddust, Peacock, Giant), and that's without even considering additional snake species. I think Madagascar merits at least two or three exhibits. I would even been willing to sacrifice a habitat spot for at least three of "creepy crawlies" that are a huge part of the island fauna.
11. African Plains 2.0
Nile crocodile, African leopard, Rhinoceros (white or black), Bird*, Black mamba
See you get your crocodile and your mamba back. Even though it is the best represented region to date there we are still missing some favorites from the African savanna.
*I personally think a large ground-restricted bird (in zoos their wings are pinioned) would work just fine with the current constraints of the game, and would add a much needed element to large mixed species savanna exhibits. I am partial to the Southern ground hornbill, but I think the Secretary bird wins the popular demand vote (though this may be due solely to the Zoo Tycoon legacy). Other candidates include Grey-crowned Crane, Ruppell's Griffon Vulture, Saddle-billed stork. For those of you against birds I still hope to see either the caracal or serval, monkey (Vervet, Green, Patas) or baboon, crested porcupine, and eland.
Exhibit: I am okay with the Black mamba, but I think the Boomslang is cooler. I would also love to see the Red-headed rock agama, Sudan giant plated lizard with the pancake tortoise, and naked mole rat.
